Tiers of data centers are an important consideration when selecting a location to store your data. Because the tier rating exposes what a data center can provide in terms of reliability and performance, failure to choose the appropriate tier might result in downtime and high costs.
Data center tiers are standardized systems for describing different types of data center architecture. Tier 1 infrastructure is the simplest, whereas Tier 4 infrastructure has the most sophisticated and redundant components. Each tier includes all of the tiers below its essential components.
Data center tiers are a useful way of describing the infrastructure components used in a company’s data center. Although Tier 4 data centers are more complicated than Tier 1 data centers, this does not always imply that they are the greatest fit for a company’s needs. While investing in Tier 1 infrastructure may expose a company to risk, Tier 4 infrastructure may be an unnecessary expense.
- Tier 1 data centers have a single power and cooling path and few redundant and backup components. It has a 99.671 percent projected uptime.
- Tier 2 data centers have a single power and cooling channel and some redundant backup components. It has a 99.741 percent expected uptime.
- Tier 3 data centers include considerable power and cooling paths and procedures to update and maintain them without bringing them offline. It has a 99.982 percent anticipated uptime.
- Tier 4 data centers are designed fault-tolerant, with redundancy in every component. It has a 99.995 percent predicted uptime.
The unbiased tier system provides an objective view of how a data center runs. However, because assigning a tier is optional, not all data centers have one. However, the majority of important facilities request an evaluation from the Uptime Institute because an official rating aids:
- Enhance the credibility of your service.
- Promote the capabilities of the facility.
- Attract potential clients by establishing trust.
- Make future renovations and facility expansions a priority.
Visit our blog page to learn more about data centers and their tiers.
